Log-skidding device



510 Model.)

H. J. KURIGER.

LOG SKIDDING DEVICE.

Patented June 9, 1896.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY J. KURIGER, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

LOG-SKIDDING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 561,674, dated June 9,1896. Application filed October 18,1895. Serial No. 566,044. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY J. KURIGER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Minneapolis, in the county of l-Iennepin and State ofMinnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inLog-skidding Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

My invention relates to devices for skidding logs or timbers,and has forits object to provide an attachment for cooperation with the ordinaryso-called go-devil or other portable support, whereby the logs ortimbers may be handled much more rapidly and at much less cost.

To this end my invention consists of the novel devices and combinationsof devices hereinafter described, and defined in the claims.

My invention is illustrated. in the accompanyin g drawin gs,wl1erein,like letters referrin g to like parts throughout the several views-Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a go-devil equipped with myattachment with the parts shown as they would appear when dragging alog. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same parts as they would appear whenabout to pick up a log. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same, with theparts in full lines, as about to pick up a log, or as shown in Fig. 2and in dotted lines, as they would appear when the log has been pickedup and the animal is under way, or as the parts are shown in Fig. 1.Fig. 4 is a detail in perspective showing the grapple-bearin g bracketsfor connection with the go-devil bunker detached and pulled apart.

a is the tip or forward end, and a the separated portions, of the baseor runner portion of the go-devil.

a is the bunker, which is securely bolted or otherwise secured to theparts a of the base a a about midway of the length of the same. The saidparts a a a constitute a device in extensiveusc bywoodsmen or lumbermenand which is called by them a godevil. The base or runner portion a a ofthis device is of oval or shoe-like form and turns up at its forwardend, which construction adapts the go-devil to readily pass over orsheer around any obstacle with which it may meet. The cross-bolster orbunker a rigidly connects the spread-out portions c of the runners orbase, and the so-called godevil thus constructed will stand the roughestkind of usage.

Nith the ordinary go-dcvil as above described, however, it has beennecessary to lift or roll the end of the log onto the bunker and tie thesame thereto with a chain or some other form of binder. On reaching theskid where the logs are to be piled it has been necessary hitherto todrop or release the log and pile the same by hand. Hence it has been thepractice to employ two men and some times three to accompany or handleeach godevil.

The object of my invention is to provide an attachment whereby the workcan be much more speedily done by one man. To this end I mount a grapplefiatwise on the bunker of the go-devil for pivotal movement in thevertical plane and arrange the draft devices in such a manner that theforward movement of the draft-animal will close the grapple onto thelog, lift the engaged end of the log above the ground, and continue tohold the log until slack is given to the draft devices.

The grapple tongs or levers Z) are pivotally connected together by acentral pin 11, so as to be capable of the ordinary grappling action bypivotal movement of the grapple arms or levers in the horizontal plane;but the pin b also serves to connect the grapple with a chann el-ironbracket 0, the downturned ends of which bracket 0 are connected byhorizontal bolt or pivot-pin c with the upwardly-extended lugs c of abearing-plate or center-iron 0 which is securely bolted to the center ofthe bunker a The center-iron. c is constructed to embrace the top andsides of the bunker for strengthening the same. The said connections 0 cc c serve to mount the grapple on the bunker, with freedom forup-and-down pivotal motion on the horizontal pivot or bolt 0. Otherwisestated, the channel-iron bracket 0 serves as a rocker for thegrappledevers b.

The engaging ends of the grapple-levers b are provided with sharpenedhook or bradlike ends 71 which are preferably set at a slight upwardangle to the main portions of the levers for insuring a better grip onthe log or timber in the grappling action. The forward ends of thegrapple-levers b are preferably provided with hooks b as a convenientmeans for the adjustable attachment thereto of a pulley-chain or otherflexible connection f, which is provided with a pulley-block f, securedto its central link. The draft-chain or other flexible draft connectionf is attached at its rearward end to a staple or eyepiece f fixed to thetop of the go-devil at its forward end, passes thence over the pulley inthe block f, and down through a staple or other guide j, fixed to theunder surface of the go-devil at its forward end, as best shown in Fig.3 of the drawings. The forward end of the chain f is provided with means(not shown) for the attachment of a horse or other draft-animal.

X'Vith the attachments above described it is obvious that the runners ofthe go-devil may be made to straddle the end of a log and simultaneouslytherewith that the brad ends of the grapple-levers may be brought intoposition to also straddle the end of the log while lying on the ground,as shown in full lines in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings. By thenstarting the draft-animal the strain from the draftchain f as appliedthrough the pulley-chain f, will close the grapple on the log, so as tosecurely engage the same, and the continued pull will rock the grappleinto the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 and in full lines inFig. l of the drawings. Thereafter the pulling strain will take effectboth to hold the log in the position shown in Fig. 1 and to pull forwardthe go-devil and its load until slack is given to the draft-chain. Onreaching the skids, where the logs are to be piled, the draft-animal maybe made to drag the go-devil directly across the skidway, so as to bringthe log into piling position. By then giving slack to the draft-chain fthe grapple will be automatically released under the weight of the log,and the log will be dropped onto the skids in position to be rolled ontothe pile without requiring to be lifted by hand or otherwise. Thego-devil may thus be dragged across the skids, because of the way inwhich the strain from the draft-chain f is received at the forward endof the godevil. Inasmuch as the said chain passes under the forward endof the go-devil, the pulling strain thereon will tend to lift the sameover the skids or any other obstacle which may be met.

From the foregoing description of the construction and operation it isobvious that the teamster alone can readily handle the go-devil withoutrequiring any additional help either for picking up the log onto thego-devil or for placing the same on the skids at the pile. Moreover, itis obvious that the log can be very quickly picked up at the point wherefound and be instantly dropped when landed on the skids. Otherwisestated, one man or boy can with this device handle many more logs in anygiven time than could be done in the old way.

It is important that a chain or some other suitable connection should beused. to unite the forward arms of the grapple-levers l) with the pulleyf in such a way as to make the said connection adjustable. Thisadjustment is desirable in order to vary the extent of pivotal motionpermitted to the grapple-levers in respect to each other for adaptationto different sizes of logs.

The hook ends of the grapple-levers must of course be permitted to opento a spread sufficient for any size of log, and on the other hand itmust be possible to close the same onto a small log without bringing thepulleyblock f against, the staple f or fast end of the draft-chain, orotherwise the log would not be held.

Of course it will be understood that the connections between the grappleand the godevil bunker might be of any other suitable construction,which would permit the fiatwi se mounting and pivotal motion of thegrapple, as required to do the work. The draft appliances might also beof any other suitable construction which would give substantially thesame action. The particular mounting of the grapple, however, and theparticular arrangement of the draft appliances, as shown and described,will be found the most con venient and practicable.

' WVhile the invention herein disclosed was especially designed for usein dragging logs from the place where the trees have been felled andsawed into logs to the place where piled onto skids adjacent to thesled-roads, it will be understood, of course, that the invention canalso be used in many other placessuch, for example, as in handlingtimbers, for the construction of buildings or in moving, and for variousother uses.

It should also be understood that instead of the go-devil the forwardmember of a pair of bobsleds or any other suitable portable supportmight be used. For example, a twowheel truck might be used instead of agodevil or sled. Any support which is adapted to be moved over theground and to which the grapple may be pivoted flatwise for pivotalmovement in the vertical plane will answer, provided the support is of acharacter to perin it the grapple to straddle one end of the log.

\Vhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is as follows:

1. The combination with a portable support, of a grapple formed by apair of crossed and pivotally-connected arms, said grapple beingpivotally mounted, flatwise, on said support, and serving as a lever tolift the log, and draft connections applied to said support and to theforward ends of said grapplethrough a guide f under the tip of the go-IO devil, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY J. KURIGER Vitnesses:

E. F. ELMORE, F. D. MERCHANT.

